When the 959 first came out, I thought it was the ultimate road car at the time. Compared with the one I drove in 1989, the car here has a lot more turbo lag than I remembered. But on the positive side it is great coming out of slow corners because you can just put your foot hard to the floor, turn the car in the direction you want to go and it pulls itself out of the corner without getting into a big slide. The suspension feels soft, so the car has a lot of movement through the corners. The brakes are terrific. It definitely has the best brakes of the three cars here. — Steve Millen

When the Porsche 959 first met the public in the mid-'80s, it instantly made me a car enthusiast. It was at that time the most modern and technologically advanced sports car: Kevlar and fiberglass-reinforced plastic body panels, aluminum doors, zero-lift aerodynamic package, all-wheel-drive with adjustable torque split, 6-speed manual transmission, variable shock damping and ride height. Only in the past few years have we seen these technologies appear on expensive luxury or sports cars.

Climb aboard the Porsche 959, where the familiar 911 (pre-996) ergonomics reside. The instrument panel has the ignition switch on the left closest to the door, and the various gauges fan across the dash. I grab the steering wheel at about an arm's length, and my right hand extends out to the shifter easily. Everything is within reach. The familiarity of the car brings a sense of comfort and security.

Turn the ignition and the car comes to life with no hesitation. Rev the 959's twin-turbo 2.8-liter engine and its robust engine note rumbles through the exhaust, though somewhat muffled by the turbos. According to the factory, the Porsche 959's flat-6 is capable of producing 450 bhp (DIN) at 6500 rpm and 370 lb.-ft. of torque at 5500. This is enough to rocket the car from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and trip the timing lights at the quarter-mile mark in 12.5 sec.

On the straightaway, mash the throttle and the 959's twin turbos kick in at about 4500 rpm. Beyond that, it takes a bit of concentration to keep the upshifts in sync with the fast-rising tach needle. Thanks to a precise gearbox and positive clutch take-up, the Porsche can build speed in a hurry. Racing down the near half-mile straight at Buttonwillow, the speedometer hovers near 130 mph — this, without really pushing the car to its limits. Equipped with ABS, the 959 decelerates quickly and confidently. The brake pedal effort is just right, and it has plenty of feedback.

Through the corners, the Porsche 959 responds swiftly to steering input and rotates with moderate understeer. And due to the significant turbo lag, it is difficult to power out of the turn. However, because of the awd system's superior traction, the secret is to maintain the Porsche's forward momentum. Let the car turn in a little faster. Then as soon as it clips the apex, just stand on the throttle while unwinding the steering wheel. The torque transferred to the front tires helps pull the 959 through the turn.

Riding in the Porsche with Millen around the track is like being in any other 911, except the speedometer is showing a much faster reading. The cockpit is quiet. The suspension setup is soft by race-car standards. But as the pace picks up, the damping stiffens to match the cornering demands. Millen notes: "The Porsche changes directions with stability and inspires confidence. Its brakes are very good. And its gearbox is silky smooth."